Monday, March 19, 2018

Free Speech and Limericks

Peter Hitchens (the liberal brother of the famous athiest/communist writer) has an essay in the UKMail about the decline of free speech in that country and the demonization and even threats to the loyal opposition. Much of it is about local politics, but some of it can apply to many countries, where PC culture is regulating religious speech.

He covers several subject in his essay, and ends it with the scandal of the Bishop of Chichester, who didn't allow a fellow clergyperson accused of abuse to get a proper legal defense and now is in deep dodoo for going along with the kangaroo court instead of seeking the truth.

Again, local politics, of which I know nothing.

However, the article reminds me of the X rated limerick about the Bishop of Chichester.

Well, this is a PG blog, but here is the PG rated version:

A pious young lady of Chichester
Made all the pale saints in their niches stir.
And each morning at matin
Her breast in pink satin
Made the bishop of Chichester's breeches stir.

I found that in an essay about Limericks and similar poems.

The essay includes this factoid:


1225—Saint Thomas Aquinas may have written the first limerick: a prayer in Latin!
huh? Yup. it's true, but the poem wasn't funny. But like a lot of limericks, it was R Rated (and maybe inspired by that time his mama kidnapped him from the cloister and asked a local lovely lady to... well, never mind... this is a PG rated blog.)

Sit vitiorum meorum evacuatio
Concupiscentae et libidinis exterminatio,
Caritatis et patientiae,
Humilitatis et obedientiae,
Omniumque virtutum augmentatio. 

More HERE and it has several different translations into English, including this one:

Another Version
by Robin Kay WilloughbyThis limerick’s for purging my sin,
Ousting lust and desire from within,
Which leaves oodles of space
For agape and grace,
Plus humility, virtue, and gin.


and if you go to the link, there are many similar limericks and other short poems for your enjoyment. '



so where are today's jesters? A joke is worth a thousand preaching words.


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